UMW in Bonaire | Coral, Climate, and Conservation

UMW in Bonaire

Coral, Climate, and Conservation
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Program Dates

February 25 – March 4

Spring Break 2023

Registration

Register for this program by October 17, 2022. Registration is not confirmed until your deposit has been received.

View our cancellation policy.

REGISTRATION CLOSED

Program Fees

$3,820*

$500 deposit due upon registration.
Final $3,320 due November 13, 2022.

*Does not include $1066 fee for required SCUBA and PADI (open water and nitrox) certifications. 

Included

  • Housing and accommodations
  • International airfare
  • Breakfasts and dinners
  • Reef renewal certification
  • Airport transfers
  • Exit tax
  • Group excursions
  • Transportation while abroad
  • International health insurance
  • UMW Education Abroad fee

NOT Included

  • UMW tuition (may be part of your spring course load)
  • Textbooks
  • Lunches and snacks
  • Personal expenses
  • Souvenirs
  • Immunizations
  • COVID-19 testing
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Health Information

International travel may require immunizations or preventative medicines. Please refer to the US Center for Disease Control’s Traveler’s Health Information Page for recommendations. The UMW Health Center provides free travel consultations by appointment, as well as travel information for UMW students. The Center for International Education recommends that each student have a personalized medical consultation prior to international travel.

This program includes moderate hiking through uneven terrain, travel by boat and snorkeling in open water.
Enjoy your spring break on a small island near the northern coast of Venezuela with Dr. Pamela Grothe of the Earth and Environmental Sciences Department.  Working closely with Scuba Shack Fredericksburg, you will have the opportunity to explore local reefs and marine life right before your eyes. Most importantly, you will gain hands on experience in coral restoration practices, helping to restore the shallow reefs of Bonaire.

Students will be studying:

  • coral conservation methods with emphasis on coral restoration in Bonaire
  • climate change and how it is affecting coral reefs
  • anthropogenic stressors on coral reefs

Accommodations

Students will stay at Buddy Dive resort.  Rooming configuration will be decided at a later date but students should expect shared rooms and living areas.

Coursework

In addition to the program travel during spring break, students will enroll in the Spring 2023 course EESC 360D: Environmental Exploration for 4 credits (to be taught for the first 8 weeks of the Spring 2023 semester).

This course satisfies the Beyond the Classroom general education requirement.

Requirements & Prerequisites

There are no academic prerequisites for this course though the course is by Permission of Instructor (POI). Students must maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA in order to participate. This program is open to all UMW students regardless of major or year of study though preference is given to those in the EESC major. Space is limited and in addition to registering for the program, students need to complete the UMW in Bonaire Application (Application Deadline: October 3, 2022).  Once completed, send the application via email to Dr. Pamela Grothe (pgrothe@umw.edu). The program is also open to non-UMW students but enrollment in EESC 360D for the Spring 2023 semester is required.

Due to the nature of this program, students must be able and prepared for rigorous hiking and water activities, to include swimming and open water snorkeling and SCUBA diving, as part of the course expectations.

Students are required to be SCUBA (open water and nitrox) certified in order to fully participate in the coral restoration course in Bonaire. Those not already SCUBA certified will have the opportunity to complete their open water and nitrox SCUBA certification with an additional PADI Coral Restoration Diver Specialty as part of the program for an additional cost of $1,066 (includes gear rental).

Scholarships

Faculty-Led Program Scholarships are available to UMW students (deadlines apply).

Small EESC Departmental Scholarships are also available to EESC students who have demonstrated financial need. Contact Dr. Grothe (pgrothe@umw.edu) for more detail.

Payment

See the program fees and payment due dates in the right column. Use the Make a Payment button below to pay your deposit and regular program payment. Use the Special Payment option to pay a special amount (such as additional insurance or payment in a different amount as a result of a scholarship award).

Online payees have the choice of either credit card or eCheck payment. Credit card payments will incur a 2.75% service fee. There is no service charge for eCheck payments.

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